


to each their own (and find peace in knowing)

by auotn



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Exy (All For The Game), Author! Neil, Fluff, I dont know how to tag, M/M, Musician! Andrew, dan and matt are married with a kid, good luck, hes not skittish really. more awkward than anything, how lovely, i guess?, neil wears glasses, technically a coffee shop au, they get cat food on their first "date"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:00:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21983290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auotn/pseuds/auotn
Summary: Neil didn't really know why he let Dan and Matt drag him to this small town cafe, one they claimed had good live music and even better coffee.(or an au where neil and andrew meet at a cafe and promptly fall in love at first sight)
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 14
Kudos: 233





	to each their own (and find peace in knowing)

**Author's Note:**

> hi. this is the first fic ive posted on here and its unbetad so good luck with this. its probably a hot mess but-
> 
> yeah goodluck. no warnings, just pure as shit
> 
> title is from feeling whitney by post malone :)

Neil didn't really know why he let Dan and Matt drag him to this small town cafe, one they claimed had good live music and even better coffee.

Maybe he'd been distracted. King had been sitting on his lap, chirping and purring at him. She'd been in a mood for the past week or so- he'd taken her to the vet and they'd deemed her to have a cold- and had only recently got out of it. She probably wished to catch up on the affection she'd missed out on, and Neil couldn't find it in himself to blame her.

Or maybe it was the fact that he hadn't seen the two in person since Christmas and it was already March. Of course they face-timed when Neil wasn't busy with meeting with his editor and potential sponsors, but they were rare and usually late at night for him due to time zones. Not to mention how short they usually were, since their kid always wanted to see Uncle Neil and it was always past her bedtime when they called.

Neil tuned back into the conversation when Matt started laughing at something Dan had said. She grinned proudly, turning an expectant gaze to Neil, who fixed her with a small amused smile.

“Neil, buddy, how's your book coming along?” Matt asked, changing the subject smoothly to include him. Internally, Neil sighed, but he couldn't bring himself to be mad at Matt.

Neil adjusted his glasses and started with, “It's coming along good, Matt. Actually, I wanted to ask you both something about that-”, but was promptly cut off by someone shushing him harshly. He flicked a sharp glare at the accuser and found a tan man with dark hair staring into the depths of his soul. He scowled at them, before turning back to his friends who looked deeply amused by the situation.

“I think the next performer is coming on, Neil.” Dan explained in a light whisper. She cast a glance towards the stage, so Neil followed her gaze.

A rather built man with a bored gaze had taken up residence on the previously empty stool. A bland looking acoustic guitar sat in his lap, held up by a strap around his neck. He was currently fixing the microphone to his height, supplying Neil with illusions of the man being on the shorter side. His blonde hair was messy, and his eyes were casting lazily over the small audience.

And then Neil was staring directly into the eyes of the man. His eyes were disinterested enough, but Neil thought he saw something flicker behind the small pupils.

Before Neil could even question himself about anything, the man’s gaze flickered away. He adjusted the guitar in his lap, licked his lips, and inhaled deeply, before exhaling slowly.

He cleared his throat and leaned towards the microphone. “This is a cover of Feeling Whitney by Post Malone. Enjoy, I guess.”

And then the man was singing, deep in his throat. His voice was smooth, like honey dripping out of the bottle or a cat slinking past unseen. It made Neil’s breath catch in his throat and his mouth go dry. He brought his coffee to his lips and sipped, all while watching the man as he unknowingly serenaded him.

Too soon the song was over, ending with one last strum of the man's guitar, and Neil found himself releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding. The man that had shushed him earlier burst into cheers, while the other people at his table were more considerate with their small claps and kind smiles.

Matt let out a chuckle across from him, breaking Neil’s entranced stare. He leaned across the table to grin at him, before saying with an air of smugness, “I don't think you blinked that whole time, buddy.”

“Or breathed,” Dan added on. “If musicians are what get you all hot and bothered maybe we should take you here more when we visit.”

Neil flushed, hiding it behind a long swig of his coffee. “Leave me alone, it was a good song.”

Matt raised his eyebrows at him, teasing him with an, “Aaaand?” at him. Dan hid her snicker behind her hand leaning against her husband’s shoulder.

“Oh, leave me alone, dammit.” He whined, smacking at the two. “I just think he's cute is all! Nothing like that.”

“Pardon me for interrupting, but you think he's cute?” Came a voice from behind him. Neil turned and was met with a few curious gazes. He flushed under their scrutiny and shrunk into his seat a bit.

“I think he has a crush on him,” Matt cooed, smiling behind his cup as he sipped at it. He put it down and leaned forward again. “Do you know the guy? Maybe we can help hook them up.”

 _This is the day I die_ , Neil decided as he buried his face in his hands. He could feel his blood boiling in his neck and ears as he let out a disgruntled groan.

“I do know him! He's my cousin actually. Maybe we could- oh, hi, Andrew!” _Fuck_.

Neil pointedly straightened and chugged the rest of his coffee. He tried to rush out his scattered thoughts before anything drastic could happen, “ _Anyways_ , I was going to ask you two to-”

“We were just talking about how Neil thinks you're cute! You should have seen him basically drooling while you were singing, man.” Matt said, the teasing lilt in his voice never leaving his voice. Neil guffawed, fixing him with an exasperated look.

“I wasn't drooling, asshole. My mouth wasn't even open!” He proclaimed, crossing his arms as he leaned back into his seat.

Dan snickered again, stage whispering into Matt’s ear, “He's even oblivious to himself.” It prompted a pout from Neil and an intrigued hum from the man behind him.

“Do tell me more!” And thus Neil was the middle of a conversation about himself.

He was getting rather uncomfortable being talked about like this, shoulders tensing for a new reason other than embarrassment. He shifted in his seat for a while, before he looked up at Andrew, who was still standing there.

His gaze was heavy on Neil, nothing visible except vague interest in his eyes. He raised an eyebrow when they made eye contact, and nodded his head towards the door. Oh, yeah, this was definitely the day Neil died. He flushed down to his toes and tried to shrug nonchalantly (it probably came off as eager), and wiggled out of his seat. He brushed off Matt’s, “Neil, where you goin’, man?”, and replied with a breezy, “Come over to my apartment later,” and started making his way to the door after shouldering the small messenger bag he'd brought with him.

He heard Andrew’s footsteps following him, so he promptly slowed down after he was out of the door so he could fall into step with the other man. They walked in silence for a while, not really uncomfortable, but not exactly content either.

“So, um..” Neil started, drifting off.

“I don't like small talk.” Was all Andrew said.

“Oh.”

The silence grew thicker, until Andrew’s steps started drifting to Neil’s right. He looked at the man in confusion, but was only met with an exasperated expression.

“I need to buy cat food.” Andrew supplied. Neil looked up at the store they had come to a halt in front of. _The Dog’s Bone._

“Isn't this a store for dogs?” Neil asked, accusing.

“Don't judge a store by it's name, Neil.” The short man- Neil realized after really looking that the man was shorter than him, a feat in itself- said and stepped around him to pull open the doors.

Neil watched him go through, let the doors come close to closing, before he pulled it open again and followed him in.

“What's your cat’s name?” Neil asked, following him down an aisle of cat stuff.

“None of your business.”

“I'll tell you my cat's name.”

Andrew seemed to contemplate it as he hefted a bag of cat food over his shoulder. “Her name is Sir.”

Neil hummed. “Mine’s name is King. She's a brat.”

Andrew grunted and the conversation was over.

They checked out the food, and Andrew tore up his receipt. That part Neil watched in interest. Or maybe it was confusion. Or maybe amusement. The man _did_ have a membership with the store, after all.

They walked back out of the store and back down the street, but the silence wasn't as tense as before. It was comfortable, and the sounds of the busy streets seemed to crack through more this time. He pushed his glasses up, and Andrew turned his head to him.

“Where's your apartment.” Andrew said. Huh. _You think he would have asked that_ , Neil thought to himself.

“Just up the street. Broadcast Apartments or something like that,” Neil said, pushing his hands into his pockets. Andrew grunted to show that he heard him, and they walked until they got to the apartment building.

“I guess this is goodbye? Thank you for taking me to get cat food with you. I liked your song a lot.” Neil said, offering a small smile. He did feel just the tiniest bit of sadness in him that he probably wouldn't see this guy again, but he stuffed it down with thoughts of his cat and Matt and Dan. At least he'd have them to distract him from this stupidly handsome man.

Neil was getting tired of getting exasperated expressions from this man, but when Andrew said, “I live here, idiot,” and shoved past him with tucking something into his back pocket, he couldn't really complain.

He reached into his pocket after shifting around his bag and pulled out a smooth piece of paper that he guessed was the receipt from earlier. It had a number, presumably Andrew's, on it printed in tiny font. A smile tugged it's way onto his lips, and he found himself with an extra skip in his step as he made his way up the stairs to his apartment.

If he texted Andrew all night, even when Dan and Matt were there and talking to him about his book, and was late to a meeting the next morning, nobody said anything even if the stares from his friends and cat were words enough.

**Author's Note:**

> i was listening to feeling whitney by post malone when i started writing this and was reminded of andrew and thus, this was born


End file.
